PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Less than a century ago, everyone could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. If you have never seen the Milky Way, you're not alone. It is estimated that as many as eighty percent of all the people alive today have never even glimpsed the Milky Way.
The brightening of the night sky caused by extreme use of artificial lights, which has a disruptive effect on the environment, humans, wildlife and prevents the observation of stars and planets is known as
light pollution.
These bright lights polluting the sky has taken away the opportunity to see and appreciate the natural beauty of the night sky.
These artificial lights take over the darkness. Our cities glow all night and it disturbs the natural day-night pattern, which impacts the balance of our environment. Lighting that discharges too much light or shines when and where it’s not needed is wasteful. It costs money and it is a waste of energy and resources.
The International Dark-Sky Association, an environmental group, estimates that one-third of all lighting in the U.S. is wasted. That is equivalent to about $3.3 billion and the release of 21 million tons of carbon dioxide per year! To compensate all that carbon dioxide, we’d have to plant 875 million trees annually.
Light pollution affects wildlife and ecosystem. All life relies on earth’s expected rhythm of day and night. It’s encoded in the DNA of all plants and animals. They depend on the daily cycle of night and day for nourishment and survival until humans have drastically disrupted this cycle by lighting up the night. Artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures.
As much as it affects wildlife, it also has harmful effects on human health and safety. The spread of artificial lighting means most of us no longer experience truly dark nights. Exposure to excessive light at night reduces production of our own photosensitive hormone. Research suggests that artificial light at night increase risks for obesity, depression, sleep disorders, diabetes and more. Outdoor lighting is intended to enhance safety and security at night, but too much lighting can actually have the opposite effect. The glare from bright, unshielded lights can be blinding and actually decreases safety because it shines into our eyes and make it hard for us to see.
With all of this harmful impact, we already know enough to bring light pollution down. Just being aware that it is a problem is not enough.
We need to act now and where else to start, but in our own home.
Start by minimizing the light from your own home at night and only using lighting that is needed.
Change light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs or put them on dimmers to save energy. Shield outdoor lights to prevent them from travelling sideways.
Install motion detectors and timers or only turn them on if truly required.
Close curtains or keep blinds drawn at night to keep indoor light in.
Another way to fight light pollution is to educate friends, family and neighbors about light pollution. Explain the importance of good lighting to our health and environment. With just a little bit of thought and effort, this is one type of pollution that can be cleaned up without any lasting side effects.
If we all work together, we can make a difference and bring back the dark of night to planet Earth to give future generations a chance to regain some of the pleasures of seeing the true beauty of the night sky.
